The present invention relates to a method for interactive audience participation at a live spectator event. The invention also relates to an apparatus that is used in connection with such method.
Spectator events and, in particular, spectator sporting events have become a multibillion dollar a year business throughout the world. Millions of people attend their favorite sporting events, choosing among baseball, soccer, basketball, hockey, football, tennis, golf, auto racing, horse racing, boxing, and many others. Rather than merely watching sporting events on televison, fans are willing to pay for the privilege of attending such events live in order to enjoy the spontaneity and excitement.
Audience reaction at live spectator events is generally gauged informally on crowd volume. At certain events, limited amounts of information are shared with audience members using large screen displays such as those available from Sony Corporation under the trademark JUMBOTRON(copyright). However, the opportunities for audience participation and useful or meaningful audience feedback are limited.
Marketing research has shown that audience members desire both an opportunity to participate in the spectator event and enjoy interactivity with other audience members. Informed audience members desire an opportunity to share their opinions with others. Heretofore, there has been no practical means to solicit the aggregate positions and the opinions of audience members at large venues (e.g., stadiums, arenas, race tracks, golf courses, theme parks, and other expansive outdoor/indoor venues).
Fans at live spectator events have come to expect background information and detailed analysis from viewing televised sporting events at home and/or readily obtaining such information over the Internet. Further, audience members are becoming more and more accustomed to interactivity from their use of computer games, such as fantasy sports league games, that allow them to organize teams, determine game strategies and test their skill at managing a sports team. Accordingly, in order to continue attracting live audiences to attend these large venues, promoters have an incentive to provide audience members with an enhanced experience.
One example of a venue that would benefit from enhanced audience participation is major league baseball. The games last several hours, and audience members spend most of their time in and around a reserved seat. When going to the concession stand or restrooms, the fan misses part of the game. Further, opportunities for interaction and expressing one""s opinion are typically limited to cheering or jeering. Occasionally, a single fan or a few fans are selected to participate in a contest, such as a trivia contest, but these opportunities are extremely limited. Nearly every fan has an opinion about how the game should be played, and would like an opportunity to express his or her opinion. Ideally, fans would like to be recognized for their skill and knowledge concerning individual teams and/or winning strategies. Fans also desire to express opinions concerning facilities, sponsors, players, management and concessions. Being able to voice an opinion, and comparing the opinion to that of other fans, would enhance the overall experience. Also, this kind of information can be useful to management by helping it determine the kind of services that fans desire.
Additionally, an often heard complaint from fans is that they missed some of the action because they could not see or did not know precisely what was happening. For example, sometimes the seat location of the attendee fails to offer an unobstructed view. On other occasions a technical ruling may be made by a game official that is not fully explained to those in attendance but is fully analyzed by television and/or radio announcers.
It is also noted that spectators commuting to and/or from events do not have ready access to desirable information such as sports related information and other information such as traffic and weather reports.
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for enhancing the experience of audience members at live spectator events by more fully involving the audience. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method of enhancing audience participation comprises communicating information to fans at a sporting event using an interactive device that allows fans to respond to displayed messages. Individual fan feedback is stored, processed (e.g., tabulated) and displayed back to the individual fan or the audience as a whole. The interactive device is preferably a wireless, hand held device, which includes an audio component to allow the user to listen to play-by-play and expert commentary during the live event. The audio component may also provide spectators with other desirable information such as traffic and weather reports. Since the device is easily transported, the fan can carry it on trips to the concession stands or to the restrooms. Further, the method presents promotional messages of sponsors and advertisers to each user of the interactive device. The promotional message may be permanently affixed to the device and/or transmitted to each device via open band lines. In a more specific method, the location of individual fans is identified by means of a transceiver located within the interactive device.
The method can be used to conduct contests wherein a fan is asked to predict the next event or events to take place (e.g. the outcome of the next at bat in a baseball game or the next play or plays to be called in a football game on a real time basis, all star balloting, pitching changes, etc.). Using simple input devices, such as arrow keys and an enter key, a touch screen display or a numeric keypad, the fan selects from a list of promptings and/or possible answers. A fan who correctly predicts a predetermined number of outcomes may be awarded an electronic coupon that can be redeemed for concessions and/or other prizes. Alternatively, the prize could be delivered to the fan based on the location of the fan""s interactive device by means of communication with the transceiver located therein.
One advantage of the invention is that promotional messages and advertisements receive a higher degree of attention from fans, because the fans are more interested in the interactive content than in passively viewing or listening to broadcast messages.
Another advantage of the invention is that it is possible to receive instantaneous and correlated feedback from a large number of fans, which is valuable information for, by way of example, sponsors, teams and leagues.
A further advantage of the invention is that fans value the expert commentary, freedom of movement and the interactivity afforded by the method, increasing their enjoyment and the perceived value of attending a live sporting event.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings.